Activating device to open all the boxes of tool box

ABSTRACT

A tool box includes a casing with at least one open side for a plurality of boxes pivotally received therein. A link is pivotally connected to the boxes and located at a distance from the pivotal point of the boxes. An activation member is pivotally connected to one of the boxes and has a slot for receiving a boss extending from the link so that when pivoting the activation member, the link pivots the boxes to open. A spring is connected between the activation member and the casing so as to close all the boxes by pulling the activation member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool box including boxes and an activating device is used to open all the boxes by one action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Drawers of a conventional tool box generally are slidably received in the tool box and each drawer is supported on rails so that the drawers are able to be pulled out one by one. In other words, the user has to pull the drawers one by one and cannot see the parts or tools in the drawer located at the lower position of the tool box because the sight is blocked by the drawer located above the lower one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool box comprising a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing. A link is pivotally connected to an end and located at a distance from the pivotal position of the boxes. An activation member is pivotally connected to one of the boxes and has a slot for receiving a boss extending from the link.

[0004] A spring has an end fixedly connected to the casing and the other end of the spring is connected to the activation member.

[0005] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a tool box that has boxes which are able to be opened at one side of the casing simultaneously by an activation device connected to the boxes.

[0006] The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the first embodiment of the tool box of the present invention in its open and close position;

[0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the tool box of the present invention in FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a side view to show the tool box of the present invention in FIG. 1 in its open and close position;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view to show the tool box in FIG. 1 wherein the tool box is enclosed by a casing and only the activation members are accessible;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a side view to show a second embodiment of the tool box of the present invention in its open and close position;

[0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view to show a third embodiment of the tool box having two open sides;

[0013]FIG. 7 is an exploded view to show the tool box of the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 8 is a side view to show the tool box of the third embodiment of the present invention in its open and close position;

[0015]FIG. 9 is a side view to show a fourth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 10A is a side view to show a fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 10B is a side view to show a fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention when all the boxes are in close position;

[0018]FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of the activation member of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 12 shows the operation of the activation member to open the boxes of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 13 shows a sixth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 14 shows a seventh embodiment of the sixth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 15 shows an eighth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 16 shows a ninth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 17 shows a tenth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 18 shows an eleventh embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention, and

[0026]FIG. 19 shows a twelfth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the tool box of present invention comprises a casing 10 having an open side and a plurality of boxes 20 pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20. The boxes 20 are able to be pivotally opened from the open side.

[0028] A link 311 is pivotally connected to each of the boxes 20 at a second position 312 on each of the boxes 20 and a distance is defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. An activation member 321 is pivotally connected to one of the boxes 20 and has a slot 322 defined therethrough. A boss 13 extends from the link 311 and is movably received in the slot 322. The tool box may have two activation members 321 which extend from two slots in the casing 10 so as to be operated from outside of the tool box.

[0029] A spring 41 has an end fixedly connected to the casing 10 and the other end of the spring 41 is connected to the second position 312 of one of the boxes 20.

[0030] A first flange 13 and a second flange 14 extend from an bottom of a top of the casing 10 and a third flange 12 extending from an inside of the bottom of the casing 10. Each of the boxes 20 has a front plate 22 and a back plate 220 on two the front and the rear edge of the open top, and a lower plate 220 extends from a bottom of the back of each of the boxes 20. The back plate 220 and the front plate 22 of the top most box 20 contact the first flange 13 and the second flange 14 when the top most box 20 is in close position. The back plate 220 of the top most box 20 contacts the third flange 12 when in close position. The boxes 20 can be opened by pushing the activation member 321 which drives the link 311 to move to the right to open the boxes 20. The spring 41 pulls the link 311 back to its position to close the boxes 20 when releasing the activation member 321.

[0031]FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the tool box of the present invention wherein the link and the activation are made to be the same one. The link 311 is pivotally connected to each of the boxes 20 at the second position 312 on each of the boxes 20 and a distance being defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. The link 311 has a plurality of slots 314 defined therethrough and each box 20 has a boss 24 extending from the second position 312. The bosses 24 are movably received in the slots 314 respectively. A top end of the link 311 extends out from a top of the casing 10 and named as the activation member 321.

[0032] A spring 41 has an end fixedly connected to the casing 10 and the other end of the spring 41 connected to the second position 312 of one of the boxes 20. When pushing the activation member 321 downward, the boxes 20 are opened and when releasing the spring 41, the link 311 moves upward to close the boxes 20.

[0033] FIGS. 6 to 8 shows the third embodiment of the tool box which comprises a casing 10 having two open sides and two rows of boxes 20 are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20 so that the boxes 20 are able to be pivotally opened from the two open side.

[0034] Two links 311 are respectively and pivotally connected to each of the two rows of boxes 20 at a second position 312 of each of the two rows of boxes 20 and a distance is defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. Two springs 41 are respectively connected between the casing 10 and the two respective second positions 312.

[0035] An activation member 321 has a transverse bar 32 and two slots 322 are defined in two ends of the transverse bar 32. The two links 311 each have a boss 313 which is movably received respective one of the two slots 322. The two rows of boxes 20 are opened by pushing the activation member 321 and the boxes 20 are closed when releasing the activation member 321 and the links 311 are pulled to the left by the springs 41.

[0036]FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the tool box and includes a casing 10 having two open sides and two rows of boxes 20 are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20. The boxes 20 are able to be pivotally opened in the two open sides.

[0037] Two links 311 are respectively and pivotally connected to each of the two rows of boxes 20 at a second position 312 of each of the two rows of boxes 20 and a distance is defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. Each of the two links 311 has a spring connected thereto.

[0038] Two plates 323 are respectively connected to the two boxes 20 located at the top most position of the two rows of the boxes 20. Each plate 323 has a notch 325 defined therein. An activation member 321 has a disk 324 which is rotatably connected to the casing 10. Two lugs 326 extend from the disk 324 and one of the two lugs 36 is engaged with one of the two notches 325 when rotating the activation member 321. By this way, the boxes 20 can be maintained their open status till the activation member 321 is rotated again.

[0039]FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11 and 12 show a fifth embodiment of the tool box which has a casing 10 having an open side and a plurality of boxes 20 pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20 so that the boxes 20 are able to be pivotally opened in the open side.

[0040] A link 311 is pivotally connected to each of the boxes 20 at a second position 312 on each of the boxes 20 and a distance is defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. A boss 24 extends from the link 311. A spring has one end fixed to the case 10 and the the other end of the spring is fixed to the second position 312 of one of the boxes 20 where the boss 24 extends.

[0041] A shaft 3110 extends from one of the boxes 20 and an activation member 321 has an end movably mounted to the shaft 3110. A slot 314 is defined in the activation member 321 and the boss 24 is received in the slot 314. A tuber member 3210 extends from the activation member 321 and another tube member 61 extends from an inside of the casing 50. A spring 62 is received in the two tube members 61, 3210 and biased between the activation member 321 and the inside of the casing 50. A slot 51 is defined through the casing 50 and has a protrusion 510 extending from one of two insides of the slot 51 so as to defined two positions on a top and a bottom of the protrusion 510. The activation member 321 can be positioned in either the top or the bottom of the protrusion 510. The activation member 321 can only be operated by pressing the spring 62 so as to prevent the boxes 20 are unintentionally opened.

[0042]FIG. 13 shows a sixth embodiment of the tool box wherein the boxes 20 are pivotally in the casing 10 at the first position 23 and a link 311 is pivotally connected to the boxes 20 at the second position 312 as the embodiments explained above. A driving device such as a pneumatic cylinder 327 has a cylinder rod which is pivotally connected to the top one of the boxes 20 and the boxes 20 are opened when the cylinder rod is moved outward. A lock assembly 15 is installed on the top of the casing 10 and the top one of the boxes 20 has a hook 25 to be engaged with the lock assembly 15. The lock assembly 15 has to be unlocked before the boxes 20 are to be opened.

[0043]FIG. 14 shows a seventh embodiment of the tool box which comprises a casing 10 having an open side and a plurality of boxes 20 are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20. A first gear 328 is co-axially connected to the first position 23 of one of the boxes 20 which are able to be pivotally opened in the open side.

[0044] A link 311 is pivotally connected at a second position 312 of each of the boxes 20 and a distance defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. A spring is connected between the second position 32 of one of the boxes 20 and the casing 10.

[0045] An activation member 32 is pivotally connected to one of the boxes 20 and a driving member such as a second gear 3212 is connected to the activation member 32. The second gear 3212 is engaged with the first gear 328 which rotates the box 20 to open and this action will let the link 311 to open the rest of the boxes 20 simultaneously.

[0046]FIG. 15 shows an eighth embodiment of the tool box that has a gear 70 fixedly connected to the first position 23 of each of the boxes 20. The link 311 has tow slots 314 and two boxes 20 each have a boss 24 which is received in the slots 314. The link 311 has three racks 3111 which are engaged with the gears 70. The boxes 20 are opened by pushing the link 311 downward to rotate the gears 70.

[0047]FIG. 16 shows a ninth embodiment of the tool box that has three boxes 20 and gear 4, 2 and 6 are respectively connected to the boxes 20. Two gears which are gear 3 and gear 5 are pivotally connected to the inside of the casing 10. A spring is connected between the center of the gear 2 and the casing 10. An activation member 321 is pivotally connected to one of the boxes 20 and a gear 1 is connected to the activation member 32. The gear 1 drives the gear 2 which is engaged with the gear 3 and gear 5. The gear 3 is engaged with the gear 4 and the gear 5 is engaged with the gear 6. Therefore, when rotating the activation member 321, the three boxes 20 are opened.

[0048]FIG. 17 shows a tenth embodiment of the tool box that is similar to that of the tool box illustrated in FIG. 16 except that the activation member 321 has no gear 1 in FIG. 16 and is directly connected to the gear 2 in FIG. 17. A spring is connected between the activation member 321 and the casing 10. The gear 2 is still engaged with the gear 3 and gear 5. The gear 3 is engaged with the gear 4 and the gear 5 is engaged with the gear 6. Therefore, when rotating the activation member 321, the three boxes 20 are opened.

[0049]FIG. 18 shows an eleventh embodiment of the tool box that has a casing 10 having an open side and three boxes 20 are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing 10 at a first position 23 of each of the boxes 20 so that the boxes 20 are able to be pivotally opened from the two open side.

[0050] A link 311 is connected to boxes 20 at a second position 312 of each of the two rows of boxes 20 and a distance is defined between the first position 23 and the second position 312. An activation member 321 extends perpendicularly from the link 311 and a spring is connected between the second position 312 at the link 311 at one of the two boxes 20 and the casing 10.

[0051] A flexible or compressible member 80 is connected to the casing 10 and has a tip which is engaged with a notch 3113 in the link 311. The link 311 has to disengaged from the tip of the compressible member 80 before it is pulled to the right to open the boxes 20.

[0052]FIG. 19 shows a twelfth embodiment of the tool box that is similar to that of the tool box illustrated in FIG. 18 except that the compressible member 80 is replaced with a V-shaped link 329 whose corner or peak portion is pivotally connected to one of the boxes 20 and two ends of the V-shaped link 329 are respectively connected to the link 311 and the activation member 321. A spring has one end fixed to the casing 10 and the other end of the spring is connected to one of the two ends of the V-shaped link 329 at the link 311. The activation member 321 has a slot so that the end of the V-shaped link 329 can be movably engaged with the slot of the activation member 321. The V-shaped link 329 is rotated when the activation member 321 is rotated and the boxes 20 are opened.

[0053] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A tool box comprising: a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing at a first position of each of the boxes, the boxes being able to be pivotally opened in the open side; a link pivotally connected to each of the boxes at a second position on each of the boxes and a distance being defined between the first position and the second position, an activation member pivotally connected to one of the boxes and having a slot defined therethrough, a boss extending from the link and movably received in the slot, and a spring having an end fixedly connected to the casing and the other end of the spring connected to the second position of one of the boxes.
 2. The tool box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool box has a first flange extending from an bottom of a top and each of the boxes has a front plate and a back plate, the back plate of the top most box contacting the first flange when the top most box is in close position.
 3. A tool box comprising: a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing at a first position of each of the boxes, the boxes being able to be pivotally opened in the open side; a link pivotally connected to each of the boxes at a second position on each of the boxes and a distance being defined between the first position and the second position, the link having a plurality of slots defined therethrough and each box having a boss extending from the second position, the bosses being movably received in the slots respectively, and a spring having an end fixedly connected to the casing and the other end of the spring connected to the second position of one of the boxes.
 4. The tool box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tool box has a first flange extending from an bottom of a top and each of the boxes has a front plate and a back plate, the back plate of the top most box contacting the first flange when the top most box is in close position.
 5. A tool box comprising: a casing having two open sides and two rows of boxes pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing at a first position of each of the boxes, the boxes being able to be pivotally opened in the two open sides; two links respectively and pivotally connected to each of the two rows of boxes at a second position of each of the two rows of boxes and a distance being defined between the first position and the second position; two plates respectively connected to the two boxes located at the top most position of the two rows of the boxes, each plate having a notch defined therein, and an activation member having a disk which is rotatably connected to the casing, two lugs extending from the disk and one of the two lugs engaged with one of the two notches when rotating the activation member.
 6. The tool box as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tool box has a first flange extending from an bottom of a top and each of the boxes has a front plate and a back plate, the back plate of the top most box contacting the first flange when the top most box is in close position.
 7. A tool box comprising: a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing at a first position of each of the boxes, the boxes being able to be pivotally opened in the open side; a link pivotally connected to each of the boxes at a second position on each of the boxes and a distance being defined between the first position and the second position, a boss extending from the link; a shaft extending from one of the boxes and an activation member having an end movably mounted to the shaft, a slot defined in the activation member and the boss received in the slot, a spring being biased between the activation member and an inside of the casing, a slot defined through the casing and having a protrusion extending from one of two insides of the slot, the activation member being positioned by the protrusion.
 8. The tool box as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tool box has a first flange extending from an bottom of a top and each of the boxes has a front plate and a back plate, the back plate of the top most box contacting the first flange when the top most box is in close position.
 9. A tool box comprising: a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing at a first position of each of the boxes, a first gear co-axially connected to the first position of one of the boxes which are able to be pivotally opened in the open side; a link pivotally connected at a second position of each of the boxes and a distance defined between the first position and the second position, and an activation member pivotally connected to one of the boxes and a driving member (second gear) connected to the activation member, the driving member (second gear) engaged with the first gear.
 10. The tool box as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tool box has a first flange extending from an bottom of a top and each of the boxes has a front plate and a back plate, the back plate of the top most box contacting the first flange when the top most box is in close position. 